Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1887-07-15
GRAIN FREIGHTS.
4 Serious Complaint From Nelson L.
Derby, st. Thomas, Dak.,
Farmer.
It is Claimed That the Manitoba Com
Il, pany Disregards the Inter-
State Commerce Bill.
Charges Of Collusion Between That
Company and the Proprietor
Of Certain Elevators.
Helpless Condition of Farmers.

Helpless Condition of Farmers.
WASHINGTON, July 12.-The Interstate
complaint from Nelson L. Derby, of St.
Thomas, Dak, which is supplementary to
those already received from other farmers
of that vicinity, alleging a refusal on the
part of the Manitoba Railroad company to
furnish cars for the shipment of the wheat
crop of that region. This, like the previ-
GUS complaint from that neighborhood, as
sumes to speak for the entire community of
farmers and bears evidence of being the
outcome Of a general movement OF the
farmers for relief. 1t asserts that the local
press is muzzled; that the free pass system
is in as full operation as before the
passage of the interstate law, and
that the prosperity of the community
hangs upon the intervention of the COM
mission. 1t is stated as the prevailing be-
lief Of the farmers that the proprietor of
certain elevator line by collusion with rail-
road authorities, has reached a position
"from which he controls the price of
wheat, if not through the entire country
certainly through the entire wheat belt of
the northwest" The complainant has had
some past experiences, among them the re-
ceipt of an order from the railroad compa-
ny to ship his wheat through these partic
ular elevators, accompanied by an intima-
ton that if he did not wish to do so he
could stop raising wheat. At one time he
says the farmers seized the cars they
needed despite the railroad people, and
loaded them with wheat, which resulted in
the adoption OF the plan by the railroad of
keeping their empty cars at distance
from wheat stations.
ST. PAUL, July 1S.-In reply to allega-
tions made to the interstate commerce
commission by Dakota man, General
Manager Marvel of the Manitoba road said
to-day: "They are tissue Of falsehood
There is absolutely no truth in them. Such
reports we really ought not to notice. The
alleged facts happened long before the
commission was created. The charges
were replied to formally some time ago.
We have at times been short of elevator
facilities and as many as 1900 cars have
stood idle on our tracks by reason of our
being so short of elevator accommodations.
The man who makes the complaint is
probably man who has received more
favors from US than any one else on that
part of the road"
WASHINGTON, July 14.-S. H. Burdett,
attorney for the St. Paul, Minneapolis 4
Manitoba Railroad company, appeared be-
fore the Interstate commerce commission
this morningsand submitted two motions.
the complaints of Holbrook, Derby and
others, farmers of Dakota, ON the general
ground that the acts complained of anti
date the passage of the interstate law.
The second motion was to dismiss the CON-
plants on the ground that the so-called
testimony submitted was taken without
notice to the defendant and without giving
an opportunity to cross-examine the wit
ness. The commission, after brief consul
tation, stated to Mr.. Burdett that there
seemed to be no reason for his further at
tendance and that its decision would be
made matter of record The complain
ants were not present. This is the case of
community of Dakota farmers
who complain that the Manitoba rail-
road last year refused to furnish cars
for the transportation of grain, incidentally
averring that rhe refusal was part of
plan to ma nipulate the price of grain. Mr..
Burdett said that the company now had
plenty of cars and would supply the de-
mand. The action of the commission is
equivalent to dismissal
Mr.. A. T. Britton, representing the Chi
cago, st. Paul. Minneapolis & Omaha Rail-
road company, addressed the commission
briefly in respect to the complaints of NJ.
w. Fulton & Co. of Hudson, Wis. The
complaints were of unreasonable charges,
in support of which former rates
were cited. Mr.. Britton showed
that at the time with which
comparison was made violent rate war
existed which depressed transportation far
below the paying point and that the pres
ent rates were restoration to normal con-
ditions. For these reasons he claimed that
there was no ground for complaint.
Neither of the cOmplainants were present
in person or by representative. but paper
had been received from Mr.. Fulton, the
purport Of which is that since the COM
plaint was made the rates had been re-
duced to reasonable basis. This fact he
claimed Is an admission that the rates
were too high when he made his complaint.
The decision OF the commission was re-
served.